The Only Real Option
by Staceysedge
Summary: A new assignment leads Miss Parker to make a decision.


The Only Real Option

It wasn't everyday Raines called her into his office without Lyle, or at least Willie, present. But today was that day and Miss Parker was ready for whatever it was he was going to sling at her. She was always ready, she had to be. When she reached his double doors, she took a second to collect herself before smoothly pulling both doors open and slipping in before they closed. Miss Parker didn't stop until she reached his desk where she then folded her hands in front of her and waited.

"Thank you, Miss Parker, for making it here so quickly. I know the mornings are busy for you." Raines said and gestured for Miss Parker to take a seat.

Miss Parker shook her head at the offer, wanting to be on her feet for this meeting. So far, things weren't looking good. Raines wanted something from her. If he thought five minutes of non-threatening conversation would do the trick, he had another think coming.

"Let's cut to the chase." Miss Parker paused a moment thinking of Jarod before continuing. "Why are we having this meeting… alone?"

"I'm glad you asked that Miss Parker. There's a new assignment I need for you to take care of. It's something that Lyle has already failed at once. I need someone who can get the job done right, the first time. I think that person is you, Miss Parker."

"Anybody is more competent than Lyle, Mr. Raines."

"Will you do this for me or not?" Raines wheezed.

Miss Parker stared mouth agape. "I don't even know what the hell it is you want me to do!"

Why was he being so vague? Like this assignment could be any worse than the one she already had.

"Miss Parker, the moment you look at these papers," he held up a full manila folder, "you will have to carry out the assignment or there will be consequences. Do you understand?"

"What if I just say no? Are there consequences of that, Mr. Raines?" Why the hell was she speaking so formally to him? It was really throwing her off, the way he was giving her options. That had to be it.

"No, Miss Parker. You have every right to decline. But as an added incentive, I'm reinstating the deal you had with Mr. Parker, with a twist. Once _this_ assignment has been carried out, you're free to leave."

Miss Parker couldn't breathe. Was he serious? What the hell was in the folder that he would agree to something like that? Part of her wanted to know, the other part didn't. She had to decide if that file and everything she would have to do would be worth it to leave the Centre, to stop chasing Jarod.

Somehow she ended up sitting on the chair Raines had offered earlier and the file folder was lying open in front of her. A picture was clipped to the papers behind it. It was a young woman, dark hair, fair skin, and something familiar about the eyes.

She tapped the picture with a freshly manicured nail as it dawned on her. Emily. Jarod's sister. Jarod's sister Emily. The new assignment was still about Jarod. At least she wouldn't be directly involved in his capture when the Centre used Emily as bait. OK, she'd still be responsible for his return to the Centre, but damn it, she wanted out.

Raines smiled coldly as Miss Parker began absorbing her new assignment. He knew she would accept. She had to. She hated this place too much not to jump at the opportunity.

* * *

"Next in line please." Miss Parker moved forward and ordered one movie ticket. She had already found Emily, and was deciding on the best way to discretely take her back to the Centre.

While taking Debbie to the movies in Dover one day, she had come across a blonde-haired, blue eyed ticket-taker at the theater. She had thought nothing of it until she went to the restroom and came across the same woman inserting colored contacts into her eyes. She had looked up nervously at Miss Parker, but smoothly interjected that she couldn't stand having brown eyes with her blonde hair. But Miss Parker noticed the dye job and one look into those chocolate eyes and she knew. She had come by everyday since, but only ever watched a movie when Debbie was with her. The rest of the time was spent on surveillance. And today she was going to make her move.

Emily was working the cashier at the concession stand today so Miss Parker got in line to order popcorn and soda. When she was ready to pay she handed Emily the money and then, "Emily, right?" Miss Parker asked as if they were old acquaintances.

Emily snapped her head to attention and with suspicion clear in her pseudo-blue eyes corrected her customer by pointing at her nametag. "I think you're mistaking me for someone else, my name's Brenda."

Miss Parker scrunched her face up in concentration, "I'm sorry, its just you look so familiar."

'Yeah, I wonder why that is?' Miss Parker thought to herself.

Emily smiled apologetically urging Miss Parker to take her food, "Enjoy your movie!"

Emily waited until the woman entered the theater and the door closed before rushing to the employee's locker room. She quickly found the manager and explained that there was a family emergency and she had to run. She had no idea if the woman was dangerous or not, but the fact that she knew her name was bad enough. Maybe she was a casual acquaintance from her past, but now wasn't the time to take chances not this close to the Centre.

Moving quickly and checking over her shoulder, she made her way to the back exit with no problem. She shoved open the heavy door, made heavier by the force of the wind blowing against it. She closed her eyes to push harder and opened them to the barrel of a gun. A gun with, what she suspected was, a silencer on it. Behind the gun and the steady aim was the woman who knew her real name. Her instincts to run had been correct. But this woman was far to keen and experienced to let her get away. She could see it in her eyes. There would be no opportunity to run; there was no one around to hear her yell for help.

Miss Parker directed Emily to get in the car she had just alighted from when Emily had come outside. She snapped handcuffs on and shut the back door. Everything had gone as planned, now to take her to the Centre. That meant leaving her to Raines and whatever he was planning. Decisions, decisions.

As she drove she heard movement from the back seat and glanced in her rear-view mirror. Emily was trying to get comfortable while watching the road. She noticed Miss Parker look back at her and decided to find out what was going on.

"Who are you? You work for the Centre, don't you? Where are you taking me?"

"If you know the answer to question two, you should be able to figure out the third." She answered distractedly, wondering if she really could take Jarod's sister back to the Centre knowing what it would mean for all involved.

"Fine," Emily bit out angrily, "then at least tell me your name."

Miss Parker remained tightlipped, knowing what her name would mean to the girl. She tossed a hard look to the back seat and heard Emily gasp.

"You are my brother's sister. How could you do this to your family?" Emily's voice shook repulsed.

"I haven't _done_ anything… " Miss Parker wanted to say 'yet' but couldn't. It looked like her conscience was deciding to awaken itself. Damn it, she pounded a fist against the steering wheel before she efficiently maneuvered her car back in the opposite direction. The Centre, she knew, now loomed large behind her.

"Emily, I need to get in touch with Ethan or Jarod. Do you have either of their phone numbers?" She asked as politely as the situation allowed. Emily wasn't just going to hand over the information to her kidnapper, but it was worth a shot. Not every one in their family was going to be a genius; maybe the apple fell far away from the tree in Emily's case.

"If I did, I wouldn't give it to you!" She hissed.

Damn Jarod and his apples!

Fighting a losing battle for the time being, Miss Parker continued the ride to her house in silence. She would figure out what to do in the morning.

She deposited Emily, sans handcuffs, in the guestroom and locked it from the outside. The window in the room was sealed and even if she broke the double-paned glass, there was no easy way down. It was a two-story drop on that side of the house.

She locked the house up and turned her alarm on. It was only ten o'clock, only four more hours before her Jarod-fix. Miss Parker plopped herself elegantly in her armchair to wait.

* * *

"Hello?" A sleepy voice answered.

Cupping her hand around the phone, Emily spoke quietly and urgently.

"Ethan, I need to talk to Jarod, is he there?"

"Emily, what are you doing calling this late, and…" Did she ask to talk to Jarod? And why was she whispering? It was bad enough he was barely awake, but he could hardly hear her.

"Is Jarod there?" Emily interrupted his train of thought. She looked up in concentration when she heard footsteps. Was Miss Parker coming back to the room? She waited. The footsteps stopped outside the door.

"No, he got an email at dinner and left. He looked upset." Ethan said, but Emily didn't hear because she shoved the phone set under the pillow after Miss Parker knocked.

"Emily, are you all right? I thought I heard voices." Miss Parker said through the door.

"I'm fine!" Emily's voice screeched and she cleared it. "Goodnight." She edged her voice with ice hoping her captor would take the hint.

When she didn't hear anything else she reached under the pillow for the phone.

"What did you say?" She asked.

"I said he got an email at dinner and left. What's going on Em? I was calling your name forever."

"Just tell Jarod that your sister grabbed me from my job." She hung up and put the phone back in case Miss Parker came back.

Ethan stared at the dial tone trying to decipher Emily's parting statement. Emily was his sister, how could she have… oh no! Miss Parker!

* * *

'Perfect.' Miss Parker thought as she heard Emily hang up. She had almost forgotten about the phone in the guestroom. She had only come back up when she realized Emily would call Jarod. She needed to know what she told him.

But Ethan had talked to her, so Jarod would be getting the message soon. Question was, why wasn't Jarod with Ethan? Last she heard they always traveled together. Jarod must be out trying to insert vengeance into peoples lives, who never wanted it in the first place.

The phone ringing brought her out of her thoughts.

"What?" She snapped automatically.

"Miss Parker, Jarod is going to be there any minute. You had better have a good explanation for him, or the next time I see you will be at your funeral."

"Ethan, don't be so pessimistic. You don't even know what's going on. I had choices to make, and I made the best ones possible. Now tell me how Jarod is going to be here so soon?" She curled up on the couch in morbid anticipation.

"You are in Delaware, we were in New York. He left five hours ago, so if he's not there yet, he will be soon." Ethan rubbed his temples anxiously. He could feel that his sister had things in control, but Jarod's anger was blossoming and he wouldn't see reason right now.

"That doesn't explain how he knows to be coming here. How did he know that Emily was here? Or was he just coming over for a visit?" She asked sarcastically.

"He got an email at dinner. He cursed you plenty of times, but I figured that was normal. He only ever mentions you when he curses at you or to defend you. You know that's crazy, right? Anyway, I can feel it, he's almost there, and he's not happy. Be careful, sister." She didn't need to be on the phone. She had to be prepared for Jarod's appearance. Ethan hung up before she could respond.

* * *

Black. That's all he could see in front of him. It was pitch black out, the moon was new, and there would be no light shining upon him tonight. His mood was a perfect match for the darkness. He was filled with only darkness, because he had been betrayed by the only person that he needed to be able to trust. In a sense that was sick, but he needed to trust her, his best friend.

She alone understood what family meant to him. She knew what she was doing and she ripped the light from him. She had taken the moon from him, and now nothing was left but darkness. The sun would still be there for him in the morning, but his nights were dark now. She was his night, it suited her perfectly.

He tiptoed unseen up to the porch. It was wrong somehow that the light was still on in the living room. He figured a victory like this would have made her sleep like a baby.

The pressure of a gun barrel in his back tells him he was wrong. She wasn't sleeping like a baby; she was wide-awake and ready for battle. And battle she would get as soon as was humanly possible.

She toed the front door shut and kept her gun trained at his back. She used the gun barrel to push him forward and ordered him to turn around slowly. He spun slowly, so as not to alarm her and cause her finger to slip. His gaze was sharp and murderous and she didn't know if she could handle Jarod looking at her that way. It was an unnatural thing.

"Can I put my gun down?" Miss Parker was very weary of the look in his eyes.

Jarod shrugged. "If you want."

She cringed. She'd have to hang on to the weapon a little while longer at least. When Jarod reached for his inner coat pocket, she tightened her grip, flicked off the safety and prayed that he wasn't going to do something that would make her hate herself.

Fortunately he brought out a piece of paper. He unfolded it and faced the side with writing towards her. She blew a breath out between her lips and sighed.

"Oh!"

It was her signature regarding her change of assignment and new agreement. Admittedly, it was damning evidence. Jarod played by the rules, he was fair and would give her a chance to explain.

"How could you do this to my family? I thought I could trust you, you knew that and used it against me. Why?" His voice cracked with emotion, but he kept her gaze locked with his.

She remembered another time when she had pointed a gun at him. Then he had disarmed her and promptly returned her weapon, imparting his trust of her as a gift. She swallowed hard and forced her voice to speak.

"Jarod, you need to listen to me. I know this looks bad, but I can explain."

"Explain! Explain what? How you're so eager to trade my freedom for yours? Or how you're using my family against me to do that? I'm surprised you haven't taken Ethan back to the Centre by now, I'm sure they would have given you your walking papers for that as well." Jarod's voice rose in volume as he rolled on.

"Shut-up, and listen to me for a minute. Raines offered me this opportunity, and I went into it blindly. Yes, that was stupid of me, but no that does not give you the right to condemn me for something I haven't done. You know how long I've been trying to leave that place, this was my opportunity. This way I wouldn't have anything to do with bringing you back to that hell. All I knew was that I wouldn't be looking for you, I didn't know my new assignment would be Emily."

Upstairs, the voices have woken Emily, and Emily puts her ear to the door to listen. She recognizes her brother's voice and screams for him.

Miss Parker sees Jarod's face emote surprise when he hears Emily's voice from upstairs. Finally, Miss Parker drops her gun and replaces it in its holster. She turns her back on a stunned and speechless Jarod, opens the middle desk drawer, and pulls out a key.

Jarod takes the key from Parker in mild shock and walks numbly up the stairs.

Parker can her Emily sobbing to her brother the whole sordid tale, and waits downstairs so they can reunite in private. The paper with her signature is lying on the ground; Jarod had dropped before walking upstairs. Bending slowly into a crouch, she grasps the edges of the paper and glances at the objective she had agreed to accomplish in exchange for her freedom. Grasping the end table for balance, she hoists herself up, moving swiftly to the fireplace to dispose of the piece of trash in her hands.

After it has completely burned to ashes, she turns to find Jarod and Emily watching her.

"I take it you're leaving." Miss Parker states evenly.

Emily steps forward before Jarod can answer.

"We are. However, I've been thinking that if you could arrange for a job for me at the Centre, I could help Jarod…." Emily pauses slightly to reword her thoughts, but is interrupted by both her brother and Miss Parker.

"Are you out of your mind!"

"That's not possible." Miss Parker calmly elaborates after Jarod's small explosion. "The Centre knows what you look like, has your fingerprints and DNA samples on file and the background check and future tests they may run on you are too risky. Besides," Miss Parker looked at Jarod and grinned devilishly, "he has me on the inside. Right, genius?"

He nodded his head in assent; his speechlessness attributed to the shock at hearing Miss Parker voice that particular statement.

"OK, but what if you can't get in touch with Jarod, then having an extra body on the inside would…."

"Be dangerous unless they were accustomed to the Centre's operating procedures; anything goes. Emily, the best way for you to help your brother is to stay out of trouble. Jarod can take care of himself, and when he can't I'm usually around to pull his ass out of a sling." Miss Parker interrupted Emily again, refusing to allow Jarod's sister to talk her way into the Centre.

The light was back on for Jarod, and burning brightly. Miss Parker had all but admitted she cared for him. She was helping him and his family stay out of the Centre's clutches, and she was teasing him. He smiled to himself, before remembering the reason he had come for Miss Parker's blood.

"Won't the Centre know you have Emily? Are you sure they don't know yet? Raines probably has someone watching you." Jarod worried at Parker.

"Nah, Emily isn't supposed to be blonde. If someone was watching me, then they'll just have more incentive to believe that I'm a crazy bitch when I want to be. Abducting people and what not." She waved her hands casually. "I'll just tell Raines it wasn't her."

"I guess we should be going then." Jarod said while not appearing ready to move a muscle. He reached his arm out and Miss Parker avoided the hug he was about to bestow on her. He sighed and she moved towards the door opening it.

"I guess you should. See you around Genius."

The End


End file.
